Minnow pail



W'. L. CODN ER'.-

F eb. 6, 1923.

MINNOWPAIL.

FILED IANA 26. 1 922.

INVENTO heb hi,

nia-uren WILLIAM L, CODNER, 0F ROCHESTER, NEWT YORK.

Minnow rAIL.

Application filed January 26, 1922. Serial No. 531,978.

To all /ww'm t 'may concern Be it known that l, 'illumini li. Connnn, of Rochester, in the count-y of ldonroeand State ot- New York, have invented certain ,new and useful Improvements in Minnow Pails; and l do hereby declare the `following to be a full, clear, and exact description ot the same, reference being had to the. accompanying drawings, i'orming a part ot this specification, and to the reference numerals marked thereon.

` My present invention relates to sportingY goeds, and more particularly to apparatus for transporting and preserving` live bait, and it has tor its object to provide a simple, cheap and convenient ininnow pail that will otl'er increased advantages for preserving the contained fish for longer periods than heretofore with the same supply ot water. The improvements include provision for the carrying of a reserve supply of water or ice that may be used as required and are directed in part toward means tor controlling` the feed oi this supply into the bony ot water in which the fish are coniined. To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations o'l' parts, all as will be hereinafter more hilly described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the spe/cilication.

In the drawings r vFigure l is a vertical sectional view through ay minnow pail constructed in aocordance with and illustrating one ernl'iodiment of my invention; i

Figure 2 is a horizontal section there` through on the line 2 2 of Figure l, and

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view through the drain pipe.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same partst l have" discovered in connection with transportine minnows or similar small bait fish that the fish weaken and die in most cases more as a result of bruises and exertion than as a result of the staleness ot the water depriving them of suiiicient oxygen. This is because, in the ordinary pail, the water in which they are swimming is permitting to wash and flow about thereby frequently throwing the ish violently against the walls of the container and against each other. On the other hand if the lish are conlined in a solid body of water that is not permitted movement they can maintain their equilibrium and the sai'ety ot their position in most any position of the container. lt is on this latter principle with certain additions in the way of also providing a reserve body oi itresh water that I have constructed my pail.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, l indicates the usual outer container or pail proper which is ot cylindrical or oval shape and provided with a handle 2. lilithin the lower portion oi' this outer container and litting it fairly snugly is an inner container 3 in which the fish or bait are conined and which has toraminous side walls l and a similarly perforated top or lid 5 which may be opened to insert or withdraw the rninnows. The upper corners of the inner container may be partitioned ofi as usual at (i to provide an annular float chamber or air space that causes the inner container to float when removed trom the pail and hung over the side oit' the boat. rl`he central portion of the top ot the inner container is prel erably depressed as shown not only to give. clearance tor the lid 5 and a pair ot lifting rings but to furnish a raised marginal seat 8 upon which `an overlying reservoir 9 rests.

This reservoir 9 occupies the remainder of the interior ot the pail which it fits very snugly resting on the container 3 through the medium of a telt, Irubber or similar gasket 'l0 arranged between it and the seat Q so that it will be difficult for any appreciable amount ot the body oi` water in the inner container 3 from werking up along the walls ofthe outercontainer past the reservoir. rllhe latter preferably contains a body otl cracked ice indicated at ll, or a mixture ot cracked ice and water. Its top is closed being provided with a central ring l2 by means oit'which it may be lifted out and also with an opening l through which it is filled, said opening being normally closed by a lid or stopper 14 having a handle l5l In the bottcm of the reservoir 9 is an open- 16 communicating with the depressed rtion of the inner container opposite the perforated lid 5, and this opening is nor-1 mally closed by a valve member 17 carried on a horizontal arm i8 pivoted at 19 to a bracket 20 extending up trom the bottom oit the reservoir, On the opposite side ot the pivot 19 there is pivoted to the arm 18 at 2l a vertical push rod 22 that extends upwardly through the top of the reservoir and terminates in an exterior button 23a A.

Cit

the reservoir.

spring 24; connected to the top of the reservoir and to the arm 18 holds the valve 16 'normally closed, but it may be opened by downwariil pressure on the push rod.

In n'eparing the pail for use it is half filled with water suiiiciently to submerg'e the inner container 3 and the fish or bait are introduced therein through the lid 5. The reservoir 9 is then placed in position to overlie the inner receptacle and force it to the bottom or". the pail. This-produces a solid body ot water Within the inner receptacle in whichgthe lish is suspended and a separate body of Water in the reservoir 9 that is shut oli' therefrom, the reservoir having been previously iilled. The object is to eliminate any air space between the lower inner receptacle and the reservoir, and if any air may have been trapped therein the valve 17 is opened until such air is driven out or expressed and its place taken by Water trom The valve V17 is then closed. It will thus be seen that the Water in Which the fish are present cannot slop about but is held solidly in Vall positions of the pail so that the fish can handle themselves and are not dashed about against the side Walls. They are :not bruised or exhausted in their eii'orts to :accommodate themselves to the wash ot the Water and will live muc-h longer.

`When it is desired to freshen or renew the Water in the inner container, a suitable plug 25 in or near the bottom ci the pail 1 is removed and a aart at least of the Water drained'out. Ilpon replacing the plug the valve 17 is opened which iills the inner container from the reservoir 9 With cold fresh Water'in the same manner as before and with all the .air driven out as before,icare of reati/11a in Water, a. sealing device vlfor the top of the inner container, and means for expressing all air from the latter so that it connes a solid body of water.

ln a minnow pail, the combination with an outer container, an inner container arranged therein and adapted to be submerged in Water, a sealing device for the top of the inner container'. and means for introducing;v Water into the inner container until all air has been expressed there-from and then sealing the saine.

3. In a minnoiv paihthe combination with an outer container, an inner container' an,

anged in the lower portionthereoi'f to be submerged in water and having an opening at its top, a reservoir overlying the inner container to seal the top thereof and having an opening; in its bottom, and a` valve controlling said opening.

Il. In a minnovv pail, the combination with an outer container, an inner container' arranged in thelovver portion thereof to be submerged in Water and having; an opening :it its top, a reservoir .overlying the inner container to seal the top thereof and having' an opening in its bottom, a valve controlling` said openingl and an operatimg member for the valve accessible from the exterior oi the reservoir and outer container.

5. In a ininnow pail,`the combination with an outer container, an inner container arranged in the lower portion thereof-to be :fubnierged in water and havingan opening; at its top, reservoir overlying` the inner container to seal the top thereof and having an opening in its bottom, a valve controlling' said opening` and comprising' a horizontal pivoted erin, a spring normally holding'said valve closed and an exteriorly operable push rod connected to the arm to open the valve.

6. In a minnow pail, the combination with a water container, of means for sealing the top thereof and means for expressing all air from the container after said seal has been applied.

IVILLIAM L. CODNEB, 

